Fresco of an angel with the image of George Meloni stirs up Rome

The restoration of a fresco in a Roman basilica has sparked a political dispute involving opposition parties, cultural protection institutions, and a church with long-standing ties to the Italian right, Politiko reports today.

According to the Brussels portal, Italian authorities investigated the fresco because, after recent restoration work, it appeared to depict Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the guise of an angel or Nike, a character from Greek mythology often used by Italian monarchists.

The cherubs' facial features were refined by the same painter who, 20 years ago, created the original designs for the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina, a church historically associated with right-wing political figures in Rome.

His artistic choice sparked a public debate that quickly turned political.

Opposition representatives have called for an investigation to “clarify all responsibilities,” while the Ministry of Culture inspected the site over the weekend. Local officials from the Ministry of Culture will “check whether there was a request for the original decorations from 2000 and whether there are sketches or photographs,” given that the church is owned by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The local diocese on Sunday sought to distance itself from the artwork's political connotations, urging the public not to use religious art for political purposes. "Depictions of sacred art and Christian tradition should not be subject to inappropriate use," it said in a statement.

However, Monsignor Daniele Micheletti, the parish priest of the basilica, downplayed the significance of the entire controversy, describing the winged victory at San Lorenzo in Lucina as a matter of artistic freedom.

After all, he said, “even Caravaggio used the face of a prostitute” in his painting.